Rev. William Worcester

Biography

Updated 22 August 2023

Reverend William Worcester was the first Minister of Salisbury MA.

• Born about 1602 in Rugby, Warwickshire, England, the son of Joseph Worcester and Alice Wheeler.
• He married Sarah say 1634 in England. Her parents are not known. They had 13 children. She died 23 April 1650 at Salisbury, Norfolk County, Massachusetts Bay Colony.
• Rev. William and his family came to America some time after January 15, 1638, when his son, William was born in England, and before Sept. 5, 1639, when he signed a petition as an inhabitant of Colchester, Massachusetts.
• William Worcester Rev married Rebecca Swayne on 22 July 1650. Her parents are not known. She was the widow of 1) Henry Byley and 2) John Hall. No children by her third marriage.
• William Worcester Rev died on 28 October 1662 in Salisbury, Essex, MA.
  
• He was buried on 31 October 1662 in Colonial Cemetery, Salisbury, Essex, MA.
• His widow Rebecca married 4th to Samuel Symonds in 1662.

Family

Many genealogies show his wife as Sarah Brown. The name Sarah Brown and many "facts" associated with her are derived from the fabrications of Gustave Anjou, who wrote a forged genealogy of William Worcester.

see the Geni project, Gustav Anjou, Fraudulent Genealogist

Extracted from https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Worcester-38

Rev. William Worcester, (abt 1602-bef 2 Dec 1662) son of Joseph Worcester and Alice Wheeler, married 1st, Sarah _____, b in England, d in Salisbury, Apr. 23, 1650. They had ten [sic: thirteen] children.

The family emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony some time after January 15, 1638, when his son, William was born in England, and before Sept. 5, 1639, when he signed a petition as an inhabitant of Colchester, Massachusetts [1].

Children

Rev. William Worcester and his wife, Sarah, were parents of numerous children, many of whom died in infancy and childhood. Children who died in infancy are displayed in italics. Those shown below are listed by John P. Worcester [15] are listed first. (Added d.y. for “died young”.)

1. Mary Worcester, b before 1630, buried at Olney abt 1630 [15]. d.y.
2. Patience Worcester, b. England1630, died Nov 19, 1630 [15], d.y.
3. Samuel Worcester, Sr. b. Olney 20 Nov 1629. m. Elizabeth Parrott Nov 29, 1659. d d. 20 Feb 1681, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, (Age 51 years)[citation needed] Some children. Named in father's 1662 will along with his son William. Possibly same as Samuel Worcester (1634 - 1680) [5]
4. Susanna Worcester,b. Olney, Jan 2 1631. Bapt Olney Mar 5 1634. [15] m. Thomas Stacy Oct 4 1653. Children. Possibly same as Susanna Worcester, b. 1631. Father's 1662 will names at different places a daughter Susana and a daughter Stacy, as well as a grandchild Rebecka Stacy. Possibly same as Susanna Worcester, b. 1635, d. Aft 1709, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, (Age 75 years)[citation needed]
5. John Worcester, baptized Olney, March 26, 1636, buried Olney the same day. [15]. d.y.
6. William Worcester, b. Olney 1632, no spouse, no children. Possibly the same as ][[Worcester-50[|William Worcester, III, b. England 1638, no spouse, no children. d. 1683, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States (Age 45 years)citation needed Son William named in father's 1662 Will.
7. Sarah Worcester, b. England say 1636, d. Apr 1, 1641[15]. d.y.
8. Sarah Worcester b. Salisbury 4 Apr 1641, d. before Apr 22 1646, Salisbury, Essex, Mass. [15]. d.y.
9. Timothy Worcester, b. Salisbury May 4 or 14, 1642, m. Susan Ambrose. 2 children. d. Salisbury 1672. Mariner, (Age 29 years)[citation needed] Named in father's 1662 Will. [15]
10. Moses Worcester, b. Salisbury Nov 10, 1643. Married twice, with children. d. 1731, Kittery, York Co Maine. (Age 88 years)[citation needed] Named in father's 1662 will.[15]
11. Sarah Worcester, b. Salisbury Apr 22, 1646, d. Jan 9, 1648/9 Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, (Age 3 years)[15]. d.y.
12. Elizabeth Worcester, b. Salisbury 9 Apr 1648, d. Salisbury 1649, (Age 0 years) [15]. d.y.
13. Elizabeth Worcester, b. 9 Nov 1649 or 9 Jan 1650, Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, d. 1669 (Age 18 years)[citation needed] Would this date be old style or new? It should be written either 1649/1650, which is probably the correct date, or 1650/1651, which would place Elizabeth's birth after her father's remarriage. Or d. Salisbury before 1662. Probably same as Elizabeth Worcester, d. Salisbury 1669. [15]

In addition, William Worcester's 1662 will names "daughter Rebecka Bylie." This would be a child of William's second wife Rebecka by her first marriage to Henry Bylie. Worcester also refers to her in the will as "daughter in law" inferring that it was his marriage to her mother that made her his daughter.

Descendants

Some sixteen descendants of Rev. William Worcester became ministers largely of the Congregational denomination. One of the more noteworthy, was Rev. Samuel Austin Worcester, minister to the Cherokee Indians for many years who was instrumental in the education of that tribe. He was involved in translating the Bible into Cherokee.[5]

Col. William Stacy; Revolutionary War Hero, Cordwainer, Minuteman, Prisoner of War, Pioneer - 1993 - by Leo L. Lemonds, DVD, Pages 72-73.[5]

Notes

William Worcester, served as a vicar of Olney, Buckinghamshire; from 27 Jul 1624 until 1636, when he refused to read the "Book of Sports" from the pulpit and was suspended. After three years of ecclesiastical difficulties, he moved his family first to Lynn and then to Salisbury, MA; where the "reverend and graciously godly Mr. Woster" served as minister until his death on 28 Oct 1662.

• - Ref: Sarah Alice Worchester: "The Descendants of Rev. Wm. Worcester"; [private, Edw. Worcester]; Boston; 1914.

  ---

From The Worcester Family - The First Generation

No. I-1

WILLIAM WORCESTER - Rev. William Worcester came from England and was settled pastor of the church first gathered in Salisbury, Mass., sometime between the years 1638 and 1639. Although not conclusive, good and persuasive evidence exists to strongly suggest that he was the son of Joseph Worcester of Rugby, Warwickshire, England, and was born abt. 1602, probably at Rugby, Warwickshire or West Haddon, Northamptonshire. (See Introduction) He matriculated at St. John's College (Cambridge University) in 1620. He was ordained deacon at Peterborough Cathedral on Dec. 21, 1622. He was made Vicar of Olney July 26, 1624 - which office he retained till 1636, when on account of refusing to comply with the command of his superiors to read to his congregation from the King's book those portions which allowed sports and recreations after service on the Lord's day, he was suspended from his office of Vicar. He came to America a year or two later. He and others petitioned the General Court of Massachusetts to establish a new settlement. The settlement was called Colchester and later renamed Salisbury. Here he continued in the ministry till his decease, Oct. 28, 1662. His grave in the old cemetery in Salisbury, is covered by a flat stone upon which a bronze tablet was placed June 21st, 1913, with the following inscription, -

Here lies buried the body of Rev. William Worcester, the first minister of Salisbury, who came from England about 1639 and died 1662. This stone was laid on his grave to prevent disinterment by wolves. This tablet is affixed by his descendants, 1913.

He married 1st, Sarah _____, b in England, d in Salisbury, Apr. 23, 1650; m 2d July 23, 1650, Mrs Rebecca Hall, d in Ipswich, Mass., Feb. 21, 1695, ag. 78. (Rebecca had been twice married before she became the consort of Wm. Worcester: 1st to Henry Bylie; 2d, Apr. 3, 1641, to John Hall. She married for a fourth husband, Samuel Symonds, Deputy Governor of the Colony.)

From http://doomtroop.tripod.com/Salisbury.html

Following are the names of the original settlers, all having received land in the first division. A brief outline as to their birthplace, occupations etc., is also given. Much of this information, too, is compiled from Hoyt's "Old Families of Salisbury & Amesbury."

2. William Worcester, Rev., first minister of the Salisbury Church. It is supposed that he was a preacher in England before coming to this Country in 1639. He married the widow of Mr. John Hall (died 1647).

William was the son of Willyam Woster of Chedington, Buckinghamshire, England. He was a young clergyman in England and was made Vicar of Olney July 26, 1624. He retained this office until 1636, when he was suspended for refusing to read from the "King's Book" those portions which allowed sports and recreations after service on the Lord's Day. Thus, he became a fugitive from the intolerance of Archbishop Laud who was strongly supported by King Charles I.

Reverend Worcester was the first pastor of the church at Salisbury. He served from 1638 until his death in 1662. Cotton Mather called him "learned and holy divine." He brought his wife, Sarah, and four children with him. Samuel, Susannah, William and Sarah (I). Six more children were born to them in the new world: Sarah (II), Moses, Sarah (III), Elizabeth (I) and Elizabeth (II). His wife Sarah died in 1650 and he remarried Rebecca Hall. She was a widow twice and after his death she married Samuel Symonds, the Deputy Governor of the Colony.

William's grave in the old cemetery was covered with a flat stone to protect it from wolves. A bronze marker erected in 1913 reads "Here lies buried the body of William Worcester, the first minister of Salisbury who came from England about 1639 and died 1662.

compiled by Christine Pollard Quattlebaum 1970

References

1. The pioneers of Massachusetts: a descriptive list, drawn from records of the colonies, towns and churches and other contemporaneous documents. By Charles Henry Pope ...Published 1900 by C.H. Pope in Boston . Written in English. Page 86
2. Ancestry of Priscilla Baker : who lived 1674-1731, and was wife of Isaac Appleton, of Ipewich (1870). Page 70.
3. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Worcester-38 Cites
   1. John P. Worcester, Aspen, Colorado, 2004. The Worcester Family. http://www.worcesterfamily.com/intro.htm. Accessed October 10, 2015
   2. Torrey, Clarence Almon, "New England Marriages: Prior to 1700" ((Baltimore:MD, Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997), NEHGS #B2-84750), p. 841.
   3. Savage, James, "A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came before May 1692 on the Basis of Farmer's Register. 4 vols. 1860–62; rpt. ed." ((Boston:MA, Little, Brown & Co.,, 1982 ); (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1969); (FHL# 974/D2s)), 4:159, 650-1
   4. Cambridge University alumni record has this entry: WORCESTER or WORCETER, William – Probably son of William Worcester Vicar of Watford, Northants. Christened there 5 Oct. 1595. St. John’s College Cambridge. Matric sizar Easter 1620. Deacon 22 December 1622 (Peterborough) as literate of St. John’s Vicar of Olney, Buckinghamshire 1624-36. Source: The Alumni Cantabrigienses, a biographical list of all known students, graduates and holders of office at the University of Cambridge, from the earliest times to 1900, compiled by John Venn, Sc.D., F.R.S., F.S.A. President of Gonville and Caius College, and J.A. Venn, M.A., Gilbey Lecturer in the History and Economics of Agriculture, and cited by John P. Worcester, The Worcester Family.
   5. Rev. William Worcester, Find A Grave Memorial# 13655851 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=13655851, created by Bob on Gallows Hill, March 18, 20016. Accessed October 9, 2015
   6. Harmon, Fred Sr., "Genealogical Research of Fred Harmon, Sr." (e-mail documentation(internet, [email removed] (Fred Harmon, Sr.), 1996)).
   7. McQuaide, Susie, "Genealogical Research of Susie McQuaide" (e-mail documentation(Internet, [email removed] (Susie McQuaide), 1996)).
   8. Tibbetts, Dr. Leonard F., "Genealogical Research of Dr. Leonard F. Tibbetts" (e-mail documentation(25 Augusta Way, S. Yarmouth, MA. 02664-2016, Dr. Leonard F. Tibbetts, 1996)).
   9. Worster, Louise Gower, "Genealogical Research of Louise Gower Worster" (Roots-L Inquiry, 1996, [email removed] (Louise Gower Worster)).
   10. Robert L. V. French and Melinde Lutz Sanborn, "The Rev. William1 Worcester of Salisbury, Massachusetts," The American Genealogist 71 (1996):50-51; digital images, AmericanAncestors.org (accessed 2014).
   11. [21][S135] Virkus, Frederick Adams, "Immigrant Ancestors: A List of 2,500 Immigrants to America before 1750" ((Chicago:IL, The Institute of American Genealogy, 1929); (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1964. 75p. Repr. 1986)), p. 75.
   12. Tenth Generation Yankee from Maine by Nicholson
   13. Source: The will of Rev. William Worcester of Salisbury was proved before Samuel Symonds and Daniel Denison Dec. 2, 1662 in the Norfolk county court. Essex Probate Docket # 30679. Cited by John P. Worcester.
   14. Find A Grave William Worcester
   15. John P. Worcester. The First Generation. http://www.worcesterfamily.com/first.htm. Accessed Oct 19, 2015 See also
4. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, database, FamilySearch ((http://www.familysearch.org)), )..
5. Collected by J. F. Worcester 1856; revised by Sarah Alice Worcester, "The Descendants of Rev. William Worcester" ((Boston:MA, NEHGS, (1856) repr. 1914), NEHGS #P3-61650).
6. Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. Massachusetts, Marriages, 1633-1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
7. Farmer, John, "Genealogical Register of First Families of New England [1620-1675]: Containing an Alphabetical List of the Governours, Deputy-Governours, Assistants or Counsellors, and Ministers of the Gospel in the Several Colonies, from 1620 to 1692; Graduates of Harvard College to 1662; Members of the Ancient and Honourable Artillery Company to 1662; Freemen Admitted to the Massachusetts Colony from 1630 to 1662; With Many Other of the Early Inhabitants of New-England and Long-Island, N.Y. from 1620 to the Year 1675.... Lancaster, Mass.: " ((Carter, Andrews, & Co., 1829. 352p. Reprinted with additions and corrections by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1964. Repr. 1976, 1983.) GPC #1760).
8. Robert L. V. French and Melinde Lutz Sanborn, "The Rev. William^1 Worcester of Salisbury, Massachusetts," The American Genealogist 71 (1996):50-51; digital images, AmericanAncestors.org (accessed 2014).
9. Jones, Priscilla, "Priscilla Jones Collection at Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport, Maine" (Genealogical Research(Searsport, Maine, Penobscot Marine Museum , 1992)).
10. Nicholson, Nettie Gove, "A tenth generation Yankee from Maine" ((West Palm Beach, Fla., 1972?), LC CALL NO.: CS71.G7151972; LCCN: 72-183504).C
11. Louise Gower & Chip R. Worster, "Genealogical Research of Louise Gower & Chip R. Worster (email removed)" (e-mail documentation(internet, email removed (Louise Gower & Chip R. Worster), 1996)).
12. Noyes, Sybil, comp. (Main) Libby, Charles Thornton, 1861-1948. (Added) Davis, Walter Goodwin, 1885-1966. (Added), "Genealogical Dictionary of Maine & New Hampshire" ((Baltimore:MD, Genealogical Publishing Co., (1928-1939) repr. 1996), GPC #4205; ISBN: 0-8063-0502-9; LC CALL NO.: F18.N681972; FORMAT: Book; LCCN: 79-88099).
13. Pope, Charles Henry, "Pioneers of Massachusetts" ((Baltimore:MD, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1900 reprint - 1986)).
14. Roberts, Gary Boyd & Cutter, William Richard, "English origins of New England families : from the New England historical and genealogical register, first series" ((Baltimore : Genealogical Pub. Co., 1984); ISBN: 0-8063-1057-X (set) ; LC CALL NO.: F15.B7E541984; FORMAT: Book ; LCCN: 83-82473).
15. Stackpole, Everett S., "Old Kittery [Maine] and Her Families" ((Rockport:ME, Pictorial Press, (1903) repr. 1985), PP#1212).
16. Sullivan, James, 1744-1808., "History of the District of Maine" ((Augusta, Maine State Museum [1970])).
17. Torrey, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.
18. Waters, Henry F. (Henry Fitz-Gilbert), 1833-1913. Genealogical gleanings in England. (Added) New England Historic Genealogical Society. (Added), "The New England Historical and Genealogical Register" ((Boston:MA, NEHGS, 1874-1990), ISSN: 0028-4785, LC CALL NO.: NONEASSIGNED, FORMAT: Serial [Microform], LCCN: sn 94-84328), Vol II, pg 822, Vol III, pg. 32.
19. Weis, Frederick Lewis, "The Colonial Clergy and the Colonial Churches of New England" ((Baltimore:MD, Clearfield Company, (1936) repr. 1995), CC #6195).
20. Sarah Alice Worcester. Rev. William Worcester with a brief notice of the Connecticut Wooster family (1914); https://archive.org/stream/descendantsofrev00worc/descendantsofrev0.... Mentions Gustave Anjou. Accessed Oct 17, 2015.
21. Space:William Worcester Duplicates